What is a service dog?
A service dog is a dog that helps people with conditions or disabilities, these conditions include Autism, Anxiety, Fainting disorders, Allergies, Heart conditions, Physical disabilities, and PTSD. Service dogs are trained by dog trainers to understand how to help people with these conditions or disabilities. These service dogs help with their Hauora/well-being because they know that they are able to do things they couldn’t do themselves safely and comfortably. Having a service dog improves the helps with the person’s health, social skills and reduces stress.
What is a therapy dog?
A therapy dog is a little different to a service dog. Therapy dogs are trained by dog trainers and can also be trained by their owners. These dogs’ jobs are to support people’s mental health by giving comfort, support and attention. These dogs are usually with people who suffer from conditions such as autism, down syndrome, global developmental delay and cerebral palsy.